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*"Alvin Brickrock" ([[Alfred Hitchcock]])
*"Alvin Brickrock" ([[Alfred Hitchcock]])
*"Perry Masonite" ([[Perry Mason]])
*"Perry Masonite" ([[Perry Mason]])
*"Sam" (Samantha of ''[[Bewitched]]'')
*"Unnamed Army Sgt" {Sgt Bilko} of ''[[The Phil Silvers Show]]''
*"Hollyrock Bowl" {[[Hollywood Bowl]]}
*"Hollyrock Bowl" {[[Hollywood Bowl]]}


===Closing credits===
===Closing credits===
In the show's closing credits, Fred tries to put the "cat" (actually a [[saber-tooth tiger]]) out for the night. The cat jumps back into the house through the window, opens the back door, and deposits Fred on the doorstep. Fred winds up getting locked out and yelling for his wife to come open the door: "Wilma! Come on, Wilma, open this door! Willllll-ma!"
In the show's closing credits, Fred tries to put the cat (actually a [[saber-tooth tiger]]) out for the night. The cat jumps back into the house through the window, opens the back door, and deposits Fred on the doorstep. Fred winds up getting locked out and yelling for his wife to come open the door: "Wilma! Come on, Wilma, open this door! Willllll-ma!"
By the time the theme song "Meet the Flintstones" was used as background, Fred cut the yelling to: "Willllll-ma!" (This gag was mentioned in the lyrics of the "Flintstones" theme song used for the closing credits; they also quite often used the phrase "bed-Rockin" due to the exaggerated use of the term during the shows running years. "Someday/Maybe Fred will ''win'' the fight/Then that/Cat will stay ''out'' for the night."). Since [[The Flintstones (film)|the live action film]] recreated the opening and closing credits sequences (complete with a cover version of "Meet the Flintstones"), the saber-tooth tiger sequence was recreated.
By the time the theme song "Meet the Flintstones" was used as a background, Fred cut the yelling to: "Willllll-ma!" When [[The Flintstones (film)|the live action film]] recreated the opening and closing credits sequences (complete with a cover version of "Meet the Flintstones"), the saber-tooth tiger sequence was recreated.


Although the cat, [[Baby Puss (The Flintstones)|Baby Puss]], was seen in the closing credits of every episode, it was rarely actually seen in any of the storylines. This [[running gag]] of having the lead character of the series ending up being helpless during the end credits in every episode due to the hijinks of a family pet would later be repeated by Hanna-Barbera in the series ''[[The Jetsons]]'' in which George Jetson ends up being caught on a [[treadmill]] that ends up spinning out of control. He also (as does Fred in this series) cries out for his wife, by asking her to stop the mechanism with the line, "Jane! Stop this crazy thing!"
Although the cat, [[Baby Puss (The Flintstones)|Baby Puss]], was seen in the closing credits of every episode, it was rarely actually seen in any of the storylines.


Though not used as closing credits anymore, the original versions of the closing credits included a short Winston cigarette advertising sequence starring the main characters.
On an extra note, the endings seen on currently in distribution are not the ones seen originally in the series' first airing. Videos exist of the original versions of the credits, where a short advertising sequence with the main characters is included as part of the ending. The ending in particular, a widely circulating video and plug for the show's then-sponsor [[Winston]] cigarettes, shows the ending commercial where the announcer states: "''The Flintstones'' has been brought to you by Winston, America's best-selling, best-tasting filter cigarette", and Fred sings the brand's [[Winston tastes good like a cigarette should|jingle]] as the Hanna-Barbera orchestra plays the jingle in the style usually used for the series' background music. Then the sequence of everyone going to sleep occurs, with a "Winston" sign flashing on and off outside of Bedrock. Then after Fred says "Wilma! Come on, Wilma, open this door! Willlllll-ma!", there is applause and then for its final title card it says "This has been an ABC Television Network presentation".


The ABC notice at the end was included in a 1995 laserdisc where the newly-rediscovered 1960 credits were first made available, but was later removed from TV distribution prints, as the show no longer airs on ABC (and is not considered appropriate for a cartoon to sponsor cigarettes). The final applause were erased in the process of cutting part of the music to remove the ABC notice. Also, they airbrushed the frames so that the Winston sign was erased. The color print of the ending has no advertising in it, as well as no credits (they were rewritten with all names found in the original black-and-white broadcast copies put together). Hanna-Barbera also produced short advertising scenes for their many sponsors, which appeared after the end of the episode and right before the credits, as well as commercial breaks.


===Opening Credits===
===Opening Credits===
The opening credits of the show were not immune to censorship either. In the first two seasons, after Fred arrives at home, the camera zooms into one of the window, showing Fred lighting a Winston and relaxing on a chair, reciting the jingle, with the TV in front of him having a picture of a box of them. In current distribution then, the scene was reanimated to the way it is today to hide the reference.
In the first two seasons, after Fred arrives at home, the camera zooms into one of the window, showing Fred lighting a Winston and relaxing on a chair, singing a jingle, while the TV in front of him shows a picture of a box of Winston cigarettes. In current distribution, the scene was reanimated to hide the reference.


==The characters==
==The characters==

Revision as of 22:16, 22 October 2008

The Flintstones
File:The Flintstones.jpg
Title screen from Seasons 1 & 2.
Created byWilliam Hanna and Joseph Barbera
StarringAlan Reed (voice of Fred)
Jean Vander Pyl (voice of Wilma)
Mel Blanc (voice of Barney)
Bea Benaderet (voice of Betty, Seasons 1-4)
Gerry Johnson (voice of Betty, Seasons 5-6)
Theme music composerHoyt Curtin
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes166 (list of episodes)
Production
Running timeapprox. 30 minutes (per episode)
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 30, 1960 –
April 1, 1966

The Flintstones is an animated American television sitcom that ran from 1960 to 1966 on ABC.

Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions (H-B), The Flintstones is about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next door neighbor and best friend. The first prime time animated series geared for adults, the show originally aired from 1960 to 1966, on the ABC network. It was also ABC's first series to be televised in color. While the show was originally co-produced and syndicated by Screen Gems, Warner Bros. Television later acquired the rights, through parent Time Warner's purchase of Turner Broadcasting System and its properties, including H-B.

Screen Gems / Columbia Pictures Television syndicated repeats of the program until 1981, when The Program Exchange picked up syndication on Columbia's behalf. Syndication later moved in the mid-1990s to Turner Program Services, shortly after Turner's acquisition of H-B, and its acquisition of The Flintstones from Columbia.

Overview

The show is set in the town of Bedrock in the Stone Age era. The show is an allegory to American society of the mid-20th century; in the Flintstones' fantasy version of the past, dinosaurs, saber-toothed tigers, woolly mammoths, and other long extinct animals co-exist with barefoot cavemen, who use technology very similar to that of the mid-20th century, although made entirely from pre-industrial materials and largely powered through the use of various animals. The characters drive cars made out of stone or wood and animal skins and powered by foot.

File:Flintstones car model at 2008 NY Auto Show.jpg
Model of Flintstones car at 2008 New York International Auto Show.

One source of the show's humor was the ways animals were used for technology. For example, when the characters took photographs with an instant camera, the inside of the camera box would be shown to contain a bird carving the picture on a stone tablet with its bill. In a running gag, the animals powering such technology would, breaking the fourth wall, look directly into the camera at the audience, shrug, and remark, "It's a living," or some similar phrase. Other commonly seen gadgets in the series included:

  • a baby woolly mammoth being used as a vacuum cleaner
  • An adult wolly mammoth would act as a shower by spraying water with its trunk
  • Lifts are raised and lowered by ropes around brontosaurs' necks
  • "automatic" windows are powered by monkeys that dwell on the outside windowsill
  • birds configured as "Ryan Coombes" are activated by pulling on their tails
  • An electric razor is depicted as a clam shell housing a honey-bee vibrating it as the edges are rubbed against the character's face.

Travel to "Hollyrock," a parody of Hollywood, California, usually involved an "airplane" flight—the "plane" in this case often shown as a giant pterodactyl. (Other familiar place names are similarly contorted: San Antonio becomes Sand-and-Stony-o; the country to the south of Bedrock's land is called Mexirock; and so forth.)

File:AnnMargrock.jpg
Ann-Margret as "Ann Margrock" was one of many famous names who lent their likenesses and voices to the series. She later appeared in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.

Being set in the Stone Age allowed for various gags and puns that involved rocks in one way or another, including the names of the various characters being "rock" puns. These included celebrities of the 1960s such as:

Closing credits

In the show's closing credits, Fred tries to put the cat (actually a saber-tooth tiger) out for the night. The cat jumps back into the house through the window, opens the back door, and deposits Fred on the doorstep. Fred winds up getting locked out and yelling for his wife to come open the door: "Wilma! Come on, Wilma, open this door! Willllll-ma!" By the time the theme song "Meet the Flintstones" was used as a background, Fred cut the yelling to: "Willllll-ma!" When the live action film recreated the opening and closing credits sequences (complete with a cover version of "Meet the Flintstones"), the saber-tooth tiger sequence was recreated.

Although the cat, Baby Puss, was seen in the closing credits of every episode, it was rarely actually seen in any of the storylines.

Though not used as closing credits anymore, the original versions of the closing credits included a short Winston cigarette advertising sequence starring the main characters.


Opening Credits

In the first two seasons, after Fred arrives at home, the camera zooms into one of the window, showing Fred lighting a Winston and relaxing on a chair, singing a jingle, while the TV in front of him shows a picture of a box of Winston cigarettes. In current distribution, the scene was reanimated to hide the reference.

The characters

The Flintstones live at 323 Cobblestone Lane in Bedrock. (However, in the season 2 episode, "The X-Ray Story," their address is given as "25 Stone Cave Road.")

The Flintstones

The Rubbles

  • Barney Rubble - Fred's best friend and next door neighbor
  • Betty Rubble (née Elizabeth Jean McBricker) - Barney's wife.
  • Bamm-Bamm Rubble - the Rubbles' abnormally strong adopted son.
  • Hoppy - The Rubbles' pet Hopparoo (a kangaroo/dinosaur combination creature)

Other characters

  • Mr. Slate - Fred Flintstone's hot tempered boss at the stone quarry.
  • Joe Rockhead - a friend of Fred's.
  • Arnold - the paper boy. A running gag is Fred being outsmarted by Arnold
  • Sam Slagheap - the Grand Poobah of the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes.
  • The Great Gazoo - an alien exiled to Earth who helps Fred and Barney, often against their will.
  • The Gruesomes - the Flintstone's strange next-door neighbors (inspired by the then-popular monster sitcoms The Addams Family and The Munsters)
  • Zeke Flintstone - Fred's uncle that owned San Cemente, a pun on the California town, San Clemente, that was the site of Richard Nixon's "Western White House."
  • Uncle Giggles - Fred's eccentric uncle who lived on nightmare hill. {A spoof of House on Haunted Hill{!}
  • Samantha and Darrin - One time neighbors of The Flintstones. {See above}

Opening teasers

Each episode of The Flintstones opened with a short scene, lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes prior to the main titles. During the first three seasons, this was footage that took place later in the episode, usually from somewhere in the middle. Serving as a preview, the opening teaser did not clue viewers in on the actual plot.

Beginning with the fourth season, the majority of opening teasers were scenes specifically written to open the episode (examples include "Ann Margrock Presents," "Sleep On Sweet Fred"). This change was not consistent, as a handful of episodes still previewed footage that would be seen later in the episode ("Glue For Two" and "10 Little Flintstones"), while on five occasions, this "preview" footage was never seen during the remainder of the episode at all ("Daddy's Anonymous," "Peek A Boo Camera," "Once Upon A Coward," "Fred El Terrifico" and "'The Hatrocks," a.k.a. "Bedrock Hillbillies").

Voices

It has been noted[who?] that Fred Flintstone physically resembled voice actor Alan Reed, and also Jackie Gleason. The voice of Barney was provided by legendary voice actor Mel Blanc, though five episodes during the second season employed Hanna-Barbera regular Daws Butler while Blanc was incapacitated by a near-fatal car accident. Blanc was able to return to the series much sooner than expected, by virtue of a temporary recording studio for the entire cast set up at Blanc's bedside.

Additional similarities with The Honeymooners included the fact that Reed based Fred's voice upon Jackie Gleason's interpretation of Ralph Kramden, while Blanc, after a season of using a nasal, high-pitched voice for Barney, eventually adopted a style of voice similar to that used by Art Carney in his portrayal of Ed Norton. The first time that Art Carney voice was used was for a few seconds in "The Prowler" (the 3rd episode produced!). In a 1980s Playboy interview, Jackie Gleason said that Alan Reed had done voice-overs for Gleason in his early movies, and that he (Gleason) considered suing Hanna-Barbera for copying The Honeymooners but decided to let it pass.[verification needed]

Henry Corden handled the voice responsibilities of Fred after Reed's death in 1977. Corden had previously provided Fred's singing voice in The Man Called Flintstone and later on Flintstones' children's records. After 1999, Jeff Bergman performed the voice of Fred. Since Mel Blanc's death in 1989, Barney has been voiced by both Frank Welker and Bergman. Various additional character voices were created by Hal Smith, Allan Melvin, Janet Waldo, Daws Butler, Howard Morris, among others.

Voice cast

Production history

Originally, the series was to have been titled The Flagstones, and a brief demonstration film was created to sell the idea of a "modern stone age family" to sponsors and the network.[1]: 3  When the series itself was commissioned, the title was changed, possibly to avoid confusion with the Flagstons, characters in the comic strip Hi and Lois. After spending a brief period in development as The Gladstones,[2] Hanna-Barbera settled upon The Flintstones. Aside from the animation and fantasy setting, the show's scripts and format are typical of a 1950s American situation comedy, with the usual family issues resolved with a laugh at the end of each episode.

Although most Flintstones episodes are standalone storylines, the series did have a few story arcs. The most notable example was a series of episodes surrounding the birth of Pebbles. Beginning with the episode "The Surprise", aired midway through the third season, in which Wilma reveals her pregnancy to Fred, the arc continued through the trials and tribulations leading up to Pebbles' birth, and then continued with several episodes showing Fred and Wilma adjusting to the world of parenthood. The Flintstones also became the first primetime animated series to last more than two seasons;[3] this record wasn't surpassed by any other primetime animated tv series until The Simpsons aired their third season in 1992.[3]

A postscript to the arc occurred in the third episode of the fourth season, in which the Rubbles, depressed over being unable to have children of their own (making The Flintstones the first animated series in history to address the issue of infertility, though subtly), adopt Bamm-Bamm. The 100th episode made (but the 90th to air), Little Bamm-Bamm, established how Bamm-Bamm was adopted. About nine episodes were made before it but shown after which explains why Bamm-Bamm would not be seen again until episode 101 Daddy's Annonymous (Bamm-Bamm was in a teaser on episode 98 Kleptomaniac Pebbles). Another story arc, occurring in the final season, centered on Fred and Barney's dealings with The Great Gazoo (voiced by Harvey Korman).

File:West-tv-flintstones.jpg
Fred and Wilma advertising Winston Cigarettes at the closing credits.

The series was initially aimed at adult audiences; the first season was sponsored by Winston cigarettes and the characters appeared in several black and white television commercials for Winston.

The Flintstones was the first American animated show to depict two people of the opposite sex (Fred and Wilma; Barney and Betty) sleeping together in one bed, although Fred and Wilma are sometimes depicted as sleeping in separate beds. For comparison, the first live-action depiction of this in American TV history was in television's first-ever sitcom: 1947's Mary Kay and Johnny.[4]

The show also contained a laugh track, common to most other sitcoms of the period. In the mid-1990s, when Turner Networks remastered the episodes, the original laugh track was removed. Currently, the shows airing on Boomerang and the DVD releases have the original laugh track restored to most episodes (a number of shows from Seasons 1 and 2 still lack them). Some episodes, however, have a newer laugh track dubbed in, apparently replacing the old one. Because of this practice, the only episode to originally air without a laugh track ("Sheriff For a Day" in 1965) now has one.

Films and subsequent TV series

Following the show's cancellation in 1966, a theatrical film based upon the series was released. The Man Called Flintstone was a musical spy caper that parodied James Bond and other secret agents. The movie was released on DVD in Canada in March 2005 but not in the United States.

The show was revived in the 1970s with Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm having grown into teenagers, and several different series and made-for-TV movies — including a series depicting Fred and Barney as police officers, another depicting the characters as children, and yet others featuring Fred and Barney encountering Marvel Comics superhero The Thing and comic strip character The Shmoo — have appeared over the years. The original show also was adapted into a hit live-action film in 1994, which was so popular that a prequel The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, followed in 2000.


The Flintstones Show

Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble Meet His Son

The Thing Meet The Shoomo

Captain Caveman and the Cavemouse

The Bedrock Rock Crops Meet The Fankenstones

Pebbles, Bamm-Bamm and his Family

The popularity of The Flintstones spawned a staged production which opened at Universal Studios Hollywood in 1994 (the year the live action film was released), developed by Universal and Hanna-Barbera Productions. It opened at the Panasonic Theatre replacing the Star Trek Show. The story consists with Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty heading for "Hollyrock".

According to FX Control Systems.com, the most extremely challenging stage effect for the show was the animated pterodactyl that transported Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty from “Bedrock” to “Hollyrock”. This technically demanding animated piece lifted four cast members off the stage and flew them out over the audience during a set change, after which they safely landed at their new destination.

The Universal Studios’ script called for Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty to board Pterodactyl World Airways and fly from “Bedrock” to “Hollyrock” over the heads of the audience. The project was technically challenging and presented many engineering hurdles. Further exacerbating the design was the need for full seismic analysis and a short schedule. Above all else was the absolute safety for the cast and audience during the Flintstones’ spectacular flight to "Hollyrock".

The show's Designer Mr. Valenze also designed and programmed the automated winch trolley that travels on a monorail mounted to the roof structure. On cue, the trolley positions itself over center stage and drops four cables and an electrical interface. Once attached to the animated pterodactyl, the trolley automatically pre-tensions and tests the cable attachments. The cast members board, wings start flapping, the on-board PLC performs a host of safety checks and the cast is off. The prop altitude and position are constantly monitored to assure proper clearance over the audience at all times. Then comes the hard part, landing four cast members at exact center stage, safely, softly and on cue.

The single-point failure proof design prevents the catastrophic failure of any single winch, lifting cable, connection or sensor from precipitating further failure or placing the cast or audience at risk of injury. The stage used in the Theatre also contained a Cat Walk with a stair case for the cast members to go into the audience to make them feel that they are apart of the show which makes it very entertaining.

Despite the attraction being somewhat successful among Tourists and Theme park fans, Universal closed the show on January 2, 1997 to make way for new shows such as Totally Nickelodeon (1997-2000) and The Rugrats Stage Show (2000-2002). Shrek 4D now performs in the Panasonic Theatre. After The Rugrats Show closed, the Cat Walk Stage used for the Flintstones show was removed completely as the Shrek Attraction was made up with new advanced Technology. Since the Flintstones show has closed, it hasn't been featured in any of the other Universal Themeparks. It is currently unknown if Universal will ever bring the show back to Universal Studios Hollywood or possibly open duplicate versions at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Japan in the near future.

Broadcast history

USA

Canada

Mexico


UK

Australia

India

Israel

Middle East

Norway

Peru

Germany

Serbia

Italy

Croatia

Venezuela

Flintstones series and spin-offs

Television series

Theatrical animated feature

Television specials

Television movies

Live action films

Other media

For a list of DVDs, video games, comic books, and VHS releases, see List of The Flintstones media.

This American Life Radio Play about Barney running over Dino in Fred's driveway http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1222

May 13, 1986 ABC broadcast The Joe Piscopo New Jersey Special which included a skit called Flintstones: The Lost Episodes with Piscopo as Fred and Danny Devito as Barney; besides appropriate costuming they wore plastic wigs shaped like the hairstyles on the show. An onscreen credit at the end of the skit indicated it was done with the authorization of Hanna-Barbara.

In the 1960s the series had strong ties to a sponsor, Winston cigarettes, with the characters shown smoking the product during commercial breaks. This approach was not unusual for television at that time, either with tobacco or any other product. In one memorable advertisement, Fred and Barney relaxed while their wives did housework, smoking Winstons and reciting Winston's jingle, "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should!"[5] In 1963, Winston pulled their sponsorship from the show when Wilma became pregnant;[citation needed] after that point, the main sponsor was Welch's Grape Juice. This is probably because of a shift from adult to family audiences.

Welch's advertised their product with animated commercials featuring the cartoon cast and they were often pictured in print ads and on grape juice containers. In a few episodes, Pebbles is given grape juice as a treat.

The series spawned three breakfast cereals: Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles, and the discontinued Dino Pebbles (later revived as "Marshmallow Mania Pebbles").

An enduring license has been a line of children's multivitamins called "Flintstones Complete" (more popularly known as Flintstones Vitamins); the first seasons of the series were, in part, sponsored by Miles Laboratories.[6] Miles' corporate successor, Bayer Corporation, continues to market Flintstones vitamins.

More recently, the Flintstones have been seen in commercials for GEICO automotive insurance and Midas auto repair shops.

The Simpsons has been compared to the Flintstones by many people. Both series were originally aimed at adults, but later found acceptance with children as well. Homer is fat, lazy, a blue-collar worker and prone to crazy get-rich-quick schemes, like Fred. Marge is a devoted housewife and an assertive woman who loves and supports her husband despite his many negative traits, just like Wilma. Ned Flanders is a jolly neighbor who often angers the main character, just like Barney (also Maude was similar to Betty). Maggie is in many ways similar to Pebbles. Homer's relationship with Patty and Selma mirrors Fred's relationship with Mrs. Slaghoople. And sometimes, Flanders shows the same kind of strength Bamm-Bamm usually has.Also, Lisa's necklace is similar to Wilmas. Indeed, at one point, Homer sings a song about himself to the tune of the Flintstones theme.

"Weird Al" Yankovic paid homage to the Flintstones in "Bedrock Anthem", a combined parody of "Under the Bridge" and "Give it Away", both by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, that even featured Flintstones voices and sound effects.

See also

References

  1. ^ Barbera, Joseph (1994). My Life in "Toons": From Flatbush to Bedrock in Under a Century. Atlanta, GA: Turner Publishing. ISBN 1-57036-042-1.
  2. ^ "The cartoon dream team". BBC News. 2001-03-21. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
  3. ^ a b Cartoons
  4. ^ http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/marykay.htm
  5. ^ Video of the commercial on YouTube
  6. ^ Advertisements for the product are included in the DVD release for season 1.
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